diff --git a/zokrates_cli/src/ops/compile.rs b/zokrates_cli/src/ops/compile.rs
index fcda43c9..a7f9e460 100644
--- a/zokrates_cli/src/ops/compile.rs
+++ b/zokrates_cli/src/ops/compile.rs
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ pub fn subcommand() -> App<'static, 'static> {
         .long("allow-unconstrained-variables")
         .help("Allow unconstrained variables by inserting dummy constraints")
         .required(false)
+    ).arg(Arg::with_name("isolate-branches")
+        .long("isolate-branches")
+        .help("Isolate the execution of branches: a panic in a branch only makes the program panic if this branch is being logically executed")
+        .required(false)
     ).arg(Arg::with_name("ztf")
         .long("ztf")
         .help("Write human readable output (ztf)")
@@ -124,6 +128,7 @@ fn cli_compile<T: Field>(sub_matches: &ArgMatches) -> Result<(), String> {
 
     let config = CompileConfig {
         allow_unconstrained_variables: sub_matches.is_present("allow-unconstrained-variables"),
+        isolate_branches: sub_matches.is_present("isolate-branches"),
     };
 
     let resolver = FileSystemResolver::with_stdlib_root(stdlib_path);
diff --git a/zokrates_core/src/compile.rs b/zokrates_core/src/compile.rs
index 87d27429..122be3c6 100644
--- a/zokrates_core/src/compile.rs
+++ b/zokrates_core/src/compile.rs
@@ -156,9 +156,10 @@ impl fmt::Display for CompileErrorInner {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Default, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Serialize, Deserialize, Clone)]
 pub struct CompileConfig {
     pub allow_unconstrained_variables: bool,
+    pub isolate_branches: bool,
 }
 
 type FilePath = PathBuf;
diff --git a/zokrates_core/src/flatten/mod.rs b/zokrates_core/src/flatten/mod.rs
index d87c770e..8d2e821b 100644
--- a/zokrates_core/src/flatten/mod.rs
+++ b/zokrates_core/src/flatten/mod.rs
@@ -2177,25 +2177,34 @@ impl<'ast, T: Field> Flattener<'ast, T> {
             ZirStatement::IfElse(condition, consequence, alternative) => {
                 let condition = self.flatten_boolean_expression(statements_flattened, condition);
 
-                let mut consequence_statements = vec![];
-                let mut alternative_statements = vec![];
+                if self.config.isolate_branches {
+                    let mut consequence_statements = vec![];
+                    let mut alternative_statements = vec![];
 
-                consequence
-                    .into_iter()
-                    .for_each(|s| self.flatten_statement(&mut consequence_statements, s));
-                alternative
-                    .into_iter()
-                    .for_each(|s| self.flatten_statement(&mut alternative_statements, s));
+                    consequence
+                        .into_iter()
+                        .for_each(|s| self.flatten_statement(&mut consequence_statements, s));
+                    alternative
+                        .into_iter()
+                        .for_each(|s| self.flatten_statement(&mut alternative_statements, s));
 
-                let consequence_statements =
-                    self.make_conditional(consequence_statements, condition.clone());
-                let alternative_statements = self.make_conditional(
-                    alternative_statements,
-                    FlatExpression::Sub(box FlatExpression::Number(T::one()), box condition),
-                );
+                    let consequence_statements =
+                        self.make_conditional(consequence_statements, condition.clone());
+                    let alternative_statements = self.make_conditional(
+                        alternative_statements,
+                        FlatExpression::Sub(box FlatExpression::Number(T::one()), box condition),
+                    );
 
-                statements_flattened.extend(consequence_statements);
-                statements_flattened.extend(alternative_statements);
+                    statements_flattened.extend(consequence_statements);
+                    statements_flattened.extend(alternative_statements);
+                } else {
+                    consequence
+                        .into_iter()
+                        .for_each(|s| self.flatten_statement(statements_flattened, s));
+                    alternative
+                        .into_iter()
+                        .for_each(|s| self.flatten_statement(statements_flattened, s));
+                }
             }
             ZirStatement::Definition(assignee, expr) => {
                 // define n variables with n the number of primitive types for v_type
diff --git a/zokrates_core_test/tests/tests/panics/panic_isolation.json b/zokrates_core_test/tests/tests/panics/panic_isolation.json
index 304266b6..401f2dde 100644
--- a/zokrates_core_test/tests/tests/panics/panic_isolation.json
+++ b/zokrates_core_test/tests/tests/panics/panic_isolation.json
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 {
     "entry_point": "./tests/tests/panics/panic_isolation.zok",
+    "config": {
+        "allow_unconstrained_variables": false,
+        "isolate_branches": true
+    },
     "curves": ["Bn128"],
 	"tests": [
         {
diff --git a/zokrates_core_test/tests/tests/panics/panic_no_isolation.json b/zokrates_core_test/tests/tests/panics/panic_no_isolation.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d815ea13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zokrates_core_test/tests/tests/panics/panic_no_isolation.json
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+{
+    "entry_point": "./tests/tests/panics/panic_isolation.zok",
+    "config": {
+        "allow_unconstrained_variables": false,
+        "isolate_branches": false
+    },
+    "curves": ["Bn128"],
+	"tests": [
+        {
+            "input": {
+                "values": [
+                    "1",
+                    "1",
+                    "1",
+                    "1"
+                ]
+            },
+            "output": {
+				"Err": {
+					"UnsatisfiedConstraint": {
+						"left": "1",
+						"right": "0"
+					}
+				}
+            }
+        }
+    ]
+}
diff --git a/zokrates_test/src/lib.rs b/zokrates_test/src/lib.rs
index 8730cb8b..a9e252a1 100644
--- a/zokrates_test/src/lib.rs
+++ b/zokrates_test/src/lib.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ struct Tests {
     pub entry_point: Option<PathBuf>,
     pub curves: Option<Vec<Curve>>,
     pub max_constraint_count: Option<usize>,
+    pub config: Option<CompileConfig>,
     pub tests: Vec<Test>,
 }
 
@@ -119,18 +120,14 @@ pub fn test_inner(test_path: &str) {
 fn compile_and_run<T: Field>(t: Tests) {
     let entry_point = t.entry_point.unwrap();
 
+    let config = t.config.unwrap_or_default();
+
     let code = std::fs::read_to_string(&entry_point).unwrap();
 
     let stdlib = std::fs::canonicalize("../zokrates_stdlib/stdlib").unwrap();
     let resolver = FileSystemResolver::with_stdlib_root(stdlib.to_str().unwrap());
 
-    let artifacts = compile::<T, _>(
-        code,
-        entry_point.clone(),
-        Some(&resolver),
-        &CompileConfig::default(),
-    )
-    .unwrap();
+    let artifacts = compile::<T, _>(code, entry_point.clone(), Some(&resolver), &config).unwrap();
 
     let bin = artifacts.prog();